brakes and rotors

[Samuaron]

Hi everyone,
I just bought a ‘17 x5M shy of 35000 miles. Previous owner mentioned that I’ll need brakes soon, took the car to the dealership recently and I was told that I will need brakes soon as well. However, the dealership also mentioned to me that whenever brakes are changed, so should the rotors regardless if they are worn or not. My question is, what do you guys think? I am pretty handy and can switch my own brake pads, but curious if at 35000 miles I need to switch the rotors too or I can use these through the new set of brake pads and get new rotors the next time around. I am new here and this is my first post, if this has already been covered, I apologize. Thanks for all your thoughts and advice. Thanks.
Ps. For pads, is the consensus still powerstops > OEM d/t dust?

[Qsilver7]

Rotors (discs) should be replaced when they’ve meet minimum thickness…regardless of the mileage. Have the rotors measured to determine if they have met the minimum requirement.

Also, BMW offers BMW value service pricing for BMWs that are over 60 months old..have you checked to see if any of your local BMW dealerships offer these services? You can click the following link, and input your zip code, then select a local dealer and input your model/model year to see what the value pricing is. If you have more than one dealership in you area…check all of them. The services offered and the pricing may vary: https://bmwusaservice.com/valueservice

BTW…what does the CBS services say in iDrive…you should be getting messages…as well as being able to go directly to the service screen to see the date & mileage left before a service is due. A red warning means over or past due, amber means the service is coming due…and green means you have a while. But you can still check the mileage and/or date that the service is possibly due.

[Samuaron]

Qsilver7 , thanks for your reply. I do have a dealership about 7 miles from my place, and they do offer these services. I plan on going there to do my oil change here in a few days.
I am attaching images of what I saw under my vehicle status menu. In the menu, it appears I’ll need rear brake pads much sooner than fronts, I’d imagine doing both at the same time.
Thanks again.

[jab23]

It will be important to get a rotor thickness measurement to determine if they need to be replaced. With that said, I got my 17 2.5 years ago with just under 35k miles and immediately replaced the pads with Powerstops. Have about 52k miles now and still on same rotors. Recent dealer service did not indicate they needed replacing yet. I don't know if these are the original rotors, but if they are, they are holding strong.

[Samuaron]

Originally Posted by jab23

It will be important to get a rotor thickness measurement to determine if they need to be replaced. With that said, I got my 17 2.5 years ago with just under 35k miles and immediately replaced the pads with Powerstops. Have about 52k miles now and still on same rotors. Recent dealer service did not indicate they needed replacing yet. I don't know if these are the original rotors, but if they are, they are holding strong.

Hi, that’s the next step, I’ll go get the rotors measured this coming week and will update. I sure do hope that I am in a similar situation like yours. If it ends up being that I don’t need rotors. I’ll install the powerstops as well. How has the ownership been the past 2.5 yrs?

[jab23]

Originally Posted by Samuaron

Hi, that’s the next step, I’ll go get the rotors measured this coming week and will update. I sure do hope that I am in a similar situation like yours. If it ends up being that I don’t need rotors. I’ll install the powerstops as well. How has the ownership been the past 2.5 yrs?

It's been great. Worry free with the only unexpected repair being for the common front axle click. That was cheap. Switching to the Powerstops was the biggest win early in my ownership. It squealed like a city bus with the stock pads. Not a peep out of them for over 2 years now.

My only minor complaint is that I wish the exhaust had more rumble inside the car. Sounds great outside, but too muted inside.

Enjoy yours. What color combo?

[Samuaron]

Originally Posted by jab23

It's been great. Worry free with the only unexpected repair being for the common front axle click. That was cheap. Switching to the Powerstops was the biggest win early in my ownership. It squealed like a city bus with the stock pads. Not a peep out of them for over 2 years now.

My only minor complaint is that I wish the exhaust had more rumble inside the car. Sounds great outside, but too muted inside.

Enjoy yours. What color combo?

Nice! So mine is Long Beach blue with brown Merino leather interior.

[Slickrick2]

Here some info that may help you out. Read all of the thread.

https://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1924480

[SCar24]

Originally Posted by Samuaron

Hi everyone,
I just bought a ‘17 x5M shy of 35000 miles. Previous owner mentioned that I’ll need brakes soon, took the car to the dealership recently and I was told that I will need brakes soon as well. However, the dealership also mentioned to me that whenever brakes are changed, so should the rotors regardless if they are worn or not. My question is, what do you guys think? I am pretty handy and can switch my own brake pads, but curious if at 35000 miles I need to switch the rotors too or I can use these through the new set of brake pads and get new rotors the next time around. I am new here and this is my first post, if this has already been covered, I apologize. Thanks for all your thoughts and advice. Thanks.
Ps. For pads, is the consensus still powerstops > OEM d/t dust?

If the rotors have enough thickness, but are maybe pitted or have slight grooves, just have a machine shop put them in a lathe and machine them down. They will both look and be as new.

Have done this several times myself, workes great.

[Yuille36]

Originally Posted by SCar24

If the rotors have enough thickness, but are maybe pitted or have slight grooves, just have a machine shop put them in a lathe and machine them down. They will both look and be as new.

Have done this several times myself, workes great.

I've contemplated doing this on my E63 AMG several years ago, but couldn't find any machine shops willing to do the work. All of them told me, that they no longer do this type of work, as there isn't any money in it. So, I just replaced them. Because when you get a pulsation in the brake pedal from warped rotors, the molecular structure of the metal has been altered, and no machining will remove that defect. As the metal in the rotors will heat up at different rates, and the pulsation will return. Just saying.

[SCar24]

Originally Posted by Yuille36

I've contemplated doing this on my E63 AMG several years ago, but couldn't find any machine shops willing to do the work. All of them told me, that they no longer do this type of work, as there isn't any money in it. So, I just replaced them. Because when you get a pulsation in the brake pedal from warped rotors, the molecular structure of the metal has been altered, and no machining will remove that defect. As the metal in the rotors will heat up at different rates, and the pulsation will return. Just saying.

I have to say I know nothing about the molecular structure of the metal, so I won't go there, I just know that I have had this done several times to clean up worn, grooved or rusted rotors to great effect.

Whether or not this complies to warped rotors I don't know, but there is a lot of literature out there claiming machining is a solution to fix that specific problem as well and to give them new life. Obviously staying within the minimum requirements for thickness stamped on the rotors.

I see where the dealership is coming from saying they should be replaced with the pads, this is more revenue for them, but this seems a bit overkill considering the rotors have a lifespan completely different to the pads. It's not like it uncommon to just replace the pads, and if the rotors should need some attention, I would definitely check if they were a candidate for machining.

[Yuille36]

Originally Posted by SCar24

I have to say I know nothing about the molecular structure of the metal, so I won't go there, I just know that I have had this done several times to clean up worn, grooved or rusted rotors to great effect.

Whether or not this complies to warped rotors I don't know, but there is a lot of literature out there claiming machining is a solution to fix that specific problem as well and to give them new life. Obviously staying within the minimum requirements for thickness stamped on the rotors.

I see where the dealership is coming from saying they should be replaced with the pads, this is more revenue for them, but this seems a bit overkill considering the rotors have a lifespan completely different to the pads. It's not like it uncommon to just replace the pads, and if the rotors should need some attention, I would definitely check if they were a candidate for machining.

I forgot to mention, but numerous shops told me, that they will not machine rotors that are crossed drilled, as the holes tend to break their resurfacing bits off.

[mstgeer]

I just glass bead blasted the rotors of my '17X5M and installed z23 pads yesterday and bed them in. So far so good. Will report back if any issues arise

[SCar24]

Originally Posted by Yuille36

I forgot to mention, but numerous shops told me, that they will not machine rotors that are crossed drilled, as the holes tend to break their resurfacing bits off.

Considering you can machine a square block into a cylinder shape, I would have to say they are being a bit to aggressive when machining if they are breaking bits on those holes.

[Yuille36]

Originally Posted by SCar24

Considering you can machine a square block into a cylinder shape, I would have to say they are being a bit to aggressive when machining if they are breaking bits on those holes.

True..... But that's what multiple shops told me. So, I just bought new rotors, and called it a day.